Lloyd v



L. v. LEWIS.

RAILWAY SIGNAL. APPLICATION HLED AUGZ. 1918.

Patented June 24, 1919 INVENTOR.

WITNESSES: 32

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UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIoE,

LLOYD V. LEWIS, OF EDGEWOOD BOROUGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TOTHE UNIONSWITCH 80 SIGNAL COMPANY, OF S WISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OFPENNSYLVANIA.

Application filed August 2,

To all whom it may concern: a r Be it known that I, LLOYD V. Lnwrs, acitizen of the United States, residing at Edgewood borough, in thecounty of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Railway-Signals, of which the following is aspecification. a t a My invention relates to railway signals; andparticularly to signals of the type comprisinga semaphore biased to thestop position, a motor for moving the semaphore to one or more proceedpositions, and means including an electromagnet for holding thesemaphore in th position or positions to i which it has thus been moved.In some Signals of this type the means includingthe electromagnet isalso employed to operatively connect the motor with the semaphore toenable the former to move the latter. a

Signals of this character are usually operated by a single source ofcurrent,,the electromagnet to which I have referred being connectedacross the entire source while the semaphore is being held in theposition or positions to which it has been moved by the a motor, as wellas at all other times when the magnet is performing any function. a Whenthe source of energy is located at an appre ciable distance from thesignal, or when a battery having a comparatively high inter nalresistance is employed as the source of energy, the voltage available atthe magnet terminals is materially higher when the magnet alone" isenergized than when both the magnet and motor areenergized. ()n theother hand, the load on the magnet in thistype' of signal is not asgreatwhen; the semaphore is being held at rest in the proceed positionand the motor is disconnected, as it may be at othertimes, particularlywhen movingfrom one position to another. a It,therefore, follows that alower voltage may be impressed on the magnet while the semaphore isbeingheld in the proceed po- Q sition than at other times, with the resultthat the total energy consumed by the signal is greatly reduced,because, under usualconditions, the total timetper day that a signal isheld in the proceed position is much greater than the time it occupiesother positions, and likewise much greater than the time consumed inmoving om oneposition to another by motor energy.

Signalsof this type are frequently con- RAILWAY-SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 24,1919.

191s. Serial N5, 248,063.

i trolled by polarized relay in which case the circuit for energizingthe motor in moving to the proceed position from the can; tion orintermediate position comprises two contacts in series. It isalsocustomary to use graphite for the contact material of one member, atleast of each of these contacts in order to insure reliable andcertainoperation. The resulting contact resistance produces an appreciable fallof potentialbe tween the source of energy and the signal when the motoris energized and inasmuch as the motor and magnetare supplied withenergy over the same circuit, the voltage at the magnet terminalsisstill further reduced when the motor is energized and likewise theenergy available for actuating the motor is, reduced, i y i One featureof my invention istheprovia sion of a novel means for so controlling themagnet that it is connected across theentire source of operating currentat all times while themagnet is functioning except when it is holdingthe semaphore in the proceed position, at which latter time the magnetis connected across a part only of such source, whereby the voltagewhich is then lmpressed on the magnet is reduced, with aconsequentreductionin the amount oi energy consumed by the signal itAnother feature of my invention is the provision of auxiliary relaycontrolled bythe main signal controlling relay, which auxiliary relay inturn directly controls the supply of current to the motor. The magnet iscontrolled by the main relay, however, hence the voltage at the magnetterminals is not affected by the drop in potential due to the contactresistance in the motor circuit while the motor is operating.Furthermore, the motor circuitincludes only a contact of the auxiliaryrelay (or several of these contacts in multiple), and consequently-theresistance of this circuit is reduced to a minimum.

Another feature of my invention is the use of the auxiliary relay tocontrol the magnet in such manner as to redu'ce the potential applied tothe magnet whilethc signalis in. the proceed position, i g

In-ill describe one form of signal embody ing my invention, and willthen point out thenovelteatures thereof in claims.

{The accompanying drawing, is a view, partlyy diagrammatic, showingoneform of railway signal embodying my invention, and

. through the medium of suitable operating one arrangement ofcontrolling circuits and apparatus which may be used in connection withthe same.

Referring now to the drawing, the reference character S designates asemaphore which is pivotally mounted on a supporting mast or post 33.This semaphore is biased to the stop or horizontal positionas shown insolid lines, but may be moved to a caution or 'inclinedposition, and teapro eeed or vertical position, as indicated in dash lines, by means ofanelectric motor M vline 6.5-. The chain- 37 operates over a 30 sprocketwheel 45 and another sprocket wheel which is not shown in the drawing,but which is mounted directly behind the wheel 44 and is attached to thesame shaft as the latter wheel. The chains 37 and 37 are provided withrollers 38 which project laterally from the chains to engage with a fork35' pivoted at point 35 in arm 34. Two pairs of rollers are provided foreach'chain, the two pairs on each chain being disposed at diametricallyoppositepoint's on the chain.

. The fork 35 comprises three parallel prongs (only 'one of which isshown), the first and second of which 'coaot with the rollers 38 onchain 37 and'the second andt-hird of which co'act with the rollers onchain 37*.

The fork 35 is controlled by an electromagnet D through a togglemechanism 36 in the arm 34, the control being su'ch'that the fork isheld rigidly in the position shown with respect to arm 34 when themagnet D is energized, that is, in a pro ected position in the path ofrollers '38, but is free to swing upwardly to a retracted position outof the path of these rollers when the magnet'is deenergized- It follows,then, that when magnet D is energized, and motor 'Md'rives the chain 37,one pair of rollers 38 on this chain will engage the fork 35 and soelevate arm 34 and semaphore S to the intermediate or 60" cautionposition, in which position'the rollers pass outffrom under the fork andthefork is caught'and held by a latch 41. i This latch is pivotedto the:frame work of the signal mechanism-land is biased to the position inwhich it is shown by a spring 41".

If now the motor M is again operated, the fork 35 will be caught by oneof the pairs of rollers on chain 37, so that the arm 34 and semaphore Swill be elevated to the highest or proceed position, where the rollerswill pass out from under the fork and the fork will be caught and heldby a latch 42. This latch is biased to engaging position by a spring42*. The semaphore will then remain in this position until magnet Dbecomes deenergized, whereupon the fork 35 will swing upwardlywithrespect to arm 34 and so becomes disengaged from latch 42, so thatthe arm 34 and semaphore S will drop to their lowest positions, as shownin the drawing.

Operating current is supplied to the motor M from a battery B, and theclectromagnet D is likewise supplied with current by this same battery.The supply of current from this battery to the signal is controlled bysuitable means such as apolarized relay A, which relay comprises neutralarmature contacts 13, 30 and 25, and polarized armature contacts 18 and31. The relay A is supplied with current from a battery 47 and iscontrolled by a pole-changer P in the usual and well known manner.

The supply of operating current to the motor M is controlled by contacts9 and 49 of a relay R in multiple, which relay also at times, controlsthe supply of current to the magnet Dby means of a contact 27. Thisrelay R is controlledby a. contact member 5, which member is operated bya cam 3.), operatively connected with the arm 34. Relay R is also attimes controlled by a contact C, which is normally closed but which isopened by a knob 40 on the arm 34 when this armreaches its highestposition.

Although I have termed the device R a relay, it may be that in someinstances the armature of this relay will be employed to control otherelements associated with the signal besides the contacts 9, 49 and 2 7.

The operation of the signal and of the controlling circuits is asfollows:

When the: relay A is deenergized, the motor M, magnet D and relay R areall deenergized, so that the semaphore S is in the stop position and allof the other parts of the signal are in positions in which they areshown in the drawing. I will now assume that pole-changer P is operatedto energize relay A in such direction that the polarized armaturecontacts 18 and 31 remain open. The closing of the neutral armaturecontacts of this relay cause magnet D to become energized, thecircuitbeing from the upper tcrminal of battery B, through wire 12,front contact 13 of relay A, wires 14, 15, and 22, contact 32,'wire 23,magnet D, wire 24, front contact 25 of relay A, and wire 48 to the lowerterminal of battery B. It will be madam such time magnet D is connectedwith the entire battery B so that the full voltage of this battery isimpressed on. the magnet. Relay R becomesenergized at the same time, itscircuit being from the upper terminal of battery B, through wire 12,front contact 13 of relay A, wires 14, 15, 15 contact 65, wire 1 6,relayR, wires 17 and 11, to the lower terminal of battery B. The consequentclosing of relay R causes battery B to becjonnected with the operatingmotor M, the circuit being from the upper terminal of battery B, throughwire 8, con tact9 and 4901? relay R in multiple, wire 10, motor M, andwire 11 to the lower terminal of battery B. Motor and magnet D bothbeing energized, the arm 34 then raised by the rollers on chain 37, sothat thesemaphoreS is moved to its intermediate or caution position.When this position is reached contact 65 is opened and contact 7-5 isclosed by the cam 39, so that relay R becomes deenergized and thesupplyof current to the motor M is, consequently, discontinued. H

If, now, pole-changer P is reversed so that relay Abecomes energized insuch direction as to close its polarized} armature contacts 18 and 31,relay R will agaiirbecome energized,its circuit then being from theupper terminal of battery B, through wire 12, contact 13, wi re 14,contact 18, wires 19 and 20,contaot C, wire21, contact 75, wire 16,relay R, wires 17 and 11 to the lower terminal of battery B. The closingof this relay again supplies current to h the motor M through the samecircult as before, so that the chains 37 and 3'7 are again operated.Since magnet D is still energized, arm 34 is raised by the rollers onchain 37 Shortly after the arm 34 leaves its intermediate position,contact 4-2 becomes closed and contact 32 becomes opened, and the magnetD is then energized through the following circuit: from battery B,through wire 12, contact 13, wire 14, contact 18, wires 19 and 26, frontpoint of contact 27 of relay R, wire 28, contact 42 wire 23, magnet D,wire 24, contact 25 and wire 48 to the lower terminal of battery B. Itwill be noted that magnet D is still connected across the entire batteryB. When the arm 34 reaches its highest position it opens contact C,thereby deenergizing relay R and so discontinuing the supply of currentto the operating motor M. "The opening of relay R also opens the circuitwhich was last traced for magnet D, but the closing of the back point ofcontact 27 of this relay closes another circuit for magnet D, whichcircuit is from the middle point of battery B,

through wire 29, contact 30, contact 31, wire This reduced voltage issufficient, however,

to cause magnetD to hold the fork 35 in engagement with the latch 42 andso to hold the semaphore S in the vertical or proceed position. i a R tItfollows from the foregoing, that while the signal is in theproceedposition, magnet D consumes less energy than at any other time whilethis magnet is functioning, and so the total amount of energy requiredfor theoperation ofthe signal is materially reduced." 1 t If, while thesignal is in the proceed position, pole-changer P is moved toitsintermediate position, relay A will become deenergized, so thatthecircuit for magnet D willbe opened, whereupon arm34 and semaphore S willdrop to the positions in which they are shown in the drawing, so thatthe signal willthen indicatestop. If instead of relay ,A beingdeenergized, the polechanger Pie reversed, magnet D will be deenergized,but as soon as the arm 34 drops to the point where contact 3 -2 becomesclosed,ithis magnet will again become energized, so that themovementofarm 34 will be arrested whenfork 35 reacheslatch 41. Magnet, D is atsuchftimeconnected with the entire batteryB, so, that the energizationofthe magnet is sufficient to withstand the blow occasioned by theengagement of the fork with the latch 41.

Having thus described my invention, what,

I claim 1s:

1. A railway slgnal comprising a semaphore biased to stop position, amotor for moving said semaphore to a proceed position, means including amagnet for connecting said motor with said semaphore and for holding thesemaphore in the proceed position, a source of current, a relay for connecting said motor with said source or for disconnecting it therefromaccording as the relay is energized or deenergized, means controlled bysaid relay for connecting said magnet with said entire source of currentwhen the relay is energized and with a part only of said source when therelay is deenergized, and means controlled by the signal fordeenergizing said relay when the semaphore reaches said proceedposition.

2. A railway signal comprising a semaphore S biased tostop position; amotor M for moving said semaphore to caution and proceed positions;means including a magof current B; a'relay R adapte'dwhen energized toconnect said motor with said source of current a circuit for saidrelayincluding a contact -56' which, isv closed while the semaphore ismoving from stop to caution positionand opened when the semaphorereaches the latter position; a second circuit for said relay includingacontact 57 which is closed while the semaphore is moving-from cautionto proceed position and a second-contact 0 opened when the sema-- phorereaches proceed position; a circuit for said magnet D including saidsource of current and a contact 23 which is closed while the semaphoreis moving from stop to caution' position; a second circuit for saidmagnet D including said source of current, a contact 2-4, closed whilethe semaphore is moving from caution to proceed position, and a frontcontact of said relay; and athird circuit for said magnet including apart only of said source of current, saidcontact 2-4 and a back contactofsaid relay 'R.

3. A railway signal comprising a semaphore biased to stop position, amotor for moving said-semaphore to a proceed position, means including amagnet for holdin the semaphore in SELlCl".PI'OCG8d position, a sourceof current, a relay for connecting said source of current with saidmotor or for dis- Oopies of this patent may be obtained for connectingit therefrom according as the relay is energized or deenergized, meanscontrolled by said relay and by the signal for connecting said magnetwith a part only of said source when the relay is deenergized and thesemaphore is in the proceed position, and means controlled by the signalfor denergizing said relay when the semaphore reaches said proceedposition.

4:. A railway signal comprising a semaphore biased to stop position, amotor for moving said semaphore to caution and proceed positions, meansincluding a magnet for holdingsaid semaphore in caution and proceedpositions, a source of current, means controlled by the signal forconnecting said magnet with said entire source of current when thesemaphore is in caution position, a relay, means for connecting saidmagnet with a part only of said source when the relay is denergized andthe semaphore is in the proceed position, and means for energizing saidrelay while the semaphore is being moved by the motor and forde'nergizing said relay when the semaphore reaches the proceed position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LLOYD V. LEWIS.

Witnesses:

A, HERMAN WEGNER, E. R. CRUM.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington,D. G.

